MIRAFEA AFFIN1S. 635 



vary, as is the case in Ceylon, in size of bill ; the tints of the under surface correspond with those of our birds, 

 and the striations on the chest are similar ; they are somewhat darker on the back ; the amount and distribution 

 of the rufous on the primaries and secondaries are the same. The tarsus averages shorter* in these examples, 

 ranging from 09 to 1-0 inch. A Travancore specimen has the bill very robust, and is more richly coloured than 

 most Ceylon birds. In the India Museum is a skin from the Deccan, which has the wing 3 - inches and the 

 tarsus l'Oo ; it is somewhat slender in the bill, but not more so than females from Ceylon. 



M. erythroptera, Jerdon, is closely allied to the present species, differing, as its name denotes, in the redder wing. The 

 primaries and the secondaries, except the first of the former and the innermost of the latter (exclusive of the 

 " tertials "), are rufous right across both webs to near the tips ; the primary-coverts are rufous, and the greater 

 secondary-coverts rufous on the outer webs and brown near the shafts. A specimen in the national collection 

 measures — wing 3-0, tail 2-0 inches. 



Mr. Hume has described the Burmese Bush-Lark under the name of M. microptera. It is smaller than M. affinis, 

 measuring 2-6 to 2-8 inches in the wing, and it has no rufous on the outer webs of the primaries. 



M. assamica and M. cantillans are two other Indian Bush-Larks. The former, the Bengal Bush-Lark, differs from its 

 congeners in the grey plumage and very thick bill ; the latter, the Singing Bush-Lark, is distinguished, says Jerdon, 

 from other species by its slender bill and less amount of rufous on the wing ; a specimen before me (in the 

 national collection) has the wing 2-9 inches. 



Distribution. — This interesting bird is widely distributed throughout the low country of Ceylon, the only 

 part of the low-lying districts in which it is not numerous being the damp south-western coast-region between 

 Kalatura and Matara. In the east and throughout the whole northern half of the island it is very common, 

 both in the interior and on the sea-board. In the North-west Province and in the drier parts of the Western 

 Province it is likewise numerous, being one of the commonest birds to be seen even in the cinnamon-gardens 

 of Colombo and Morotuwa; thence round to Tangalla, beyond which it is again abundant, it is found 

 in less numbers, and is chiefly confined, and that sparingly, to the sea-coast. Throughout the flat jungles 

 between Haputale and the sea it is tolerably common. I am not aware that it is found in the Kandyan 

 districts ; but it may perhaps occur, as a rare straggler, in the lower parts of Dumbara. It is found near the 

 base of the hills in the Kurunegala neighbourhood. 



On the mainland, this Bush-Lark is chiefly confined to the southern portion of the peninsula. Jerdon 

 remarks that it is " found on the Malabar coast, in the Carnatic, in Mysore, and the southern part of the table- 

 land, extending north to Cfoomsoor and Midnapore. Col. Tytler states that it occurs at Barrackpore, but it is 

 certainly very rare in Bengal." Mr. Ball asserts it to be tolerably abundant in Singhbhum, and records it 

 from Midnapur, Manbhum, and Gunisur. It seems therefore to stretch from the Carnatic northwards in an 

 easterly direction, avoiding all divergence towards Central India. I notice that the Rev. Dr. Fairbank does 

 not record it from the Deccan, nor do Messrs. Davidson and Wender, although M. erythroptera is noticed by 

 these gentlemen as very common there. It is abundant about Madras, and also inhabits Ramisserum Island 

 and the adjacent coast. Dr. Fairbank found it at the base of the Palanis. 



Habits. — This Lark loves grassy wastes, studded with trees and bushes, openly timbered plains, scrubby 



* Since this article was printed, I have received a letter from Mr. Hume containing a remark on this species, which, 

 according to ornithological custom, I quote here:— "Have I ever pointed out to you that your Mirafra, which I call 

 M. eeylonensis, is distinct from the Madras bird, M. affinis? It is a much larger, richer-coloured, longer-billed bird, 

 with markedly larger legs and feet, I have just compared five examples from Colombo with a large series of Madras 

 specimens." Now this bird varies in Ceylon. The five examples alluded to are all from Colombo ; and as regards size 

 see my comparisons above. I do not find that South-Indian specimens are more richly coloured ; one from Travancore, 

 which I obtained from Mr. Whitely, Woolwich, differs considerably in brightness of coloration from St. Thomas's Mount 

 examples. Brightness of coloration in the Lark family is often dependent on age. The tarsus in Ceylonese birds is, as 

 a rule, longer, as I have above noticed, but short-legged insular birds equal loug-legged continental ones. A male from 

 St. Thomas's Mount (wiug 3-21) measures, tarsus 1-05 ; a good-sized female (wing 3-15) from Trincomalie measures. 



tarsus 1-05. _ 



If on the whole, it be hereafter decided by general cousent that the Ceylon species should stand distmct, it must be as 

 a very close subspecies indeed; but I would here remark that, above all birds, Larks are the most unsafe to tamper with. 

 If we once begin to divide them up, there will be no end to subspecies. 



4 m2 



